Seeking guidance from anybody

[liang]

Hi,

I am located in South East Asia, by chance come to this forum.

I have experience the shift two years ago after reading "Power of Now" by Eckhatt Tolle.

Like what Tolle says, I did experience the "presence", and with time the period of the "presence" did in fact getting longer.

My problem is I never have any spiritual practice at all throughout my life. I used to read some "Zen" Buddhism when I was young, but never practice any meditation or sitting.

So how do I proceed so that I can reach the "end" state or "enlighten" state? Do I need to practice meditation?

Thanks for any help.
Liang

[Detox]

Hi liang - would you like me to guide you?

[liang]

Hi,

Thank you. I will like you to guide me. I apologized for unable to give you a prompt reply because of time difference.

Thanks for taking time to guide me, much appreciated.

Regards,
Liang

[Detox]

will be in touch later

[Detox]

Hi Liang - I am glad you would like to be guided.

Just to clarify - there is no need for you to have spiritual or religious experiences. The only thing you need is the willingness to look for the self and be open to what you find.


There are few things we need to make clear before the journey begins.

Secondly - Please confirm you have read the disclaimer http://www.liberationunleashed.com/
Thirdly - we have a working agreement - please see below - and let me know you are happy with it - and that you give me permission to guide you through the process.

1. You agree to post at least once a day.
2. In general, the guide will ask the questions for you to respond to
3. Responses require your utmost honesty
4. Responses are best from direct experience (felt senses and observed thoughts). Longwinded
analytical and philosophical answers are best avoided and may even hinder progress.
5. Put aside all other teachings, philosophies and such for the remainder of this investigation.
Really put all your effort and attention in to seeing this reality, as it is. If you have a daily and
essential meditation practice, it is fine to continue that.
6. Please learn to use the quote function; instructions are located in the link below this line:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=660”

I look forward to hearing from you - with kindness

[liang]

Hi Liang - I am glad you would like to be guided.

Just to clarify - there is no need for you to have spiritual or religious experiences. The only thing you need is the willingness to look for the self and be open to what you find.


There are few things we need to make clear before the journey begins.

Secondly - Please confirm you have read the disclaimer http://www.liberationunleashed.com/
Thirdly - we have a working agreement - please see below - and let me know you are happy with it - and that you give me permission to guide you through the process.

1. You agree to post at least once a day.
2. In general, the guide will ask the questions for you to respond to
3. Responses require your utmost honesty
4. Responses are best from direct experience (felt senses and observed thoughts). Longwinded
analytical and philosophical answers are best avoided and may even hinder progress.
5. Put aside all other teachings, philosophies and such for the remainder of this investigation.
Really put all your effort and attention in to seeing this reality, as it is. If you have a daily and
essential meditation practice, it is fine to continue that.
6. Please learn to use the quote function; instructions are located in the link below this line:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=660”

I look forward to hearing from you - with kindness

I have read the disclaimer and agreed with it.

I agreed with the working agreement. I have an overseas trip from 15 Sept to 22 Sept to Cambodia (currently station in Singapore). During that period I am not sure whether I have internet access, some of the days I am at the rural sites which may not have internet connections. I understand from the tour guide there are internet access in the hotels. Once I am back to Singapore I can reply to you every day.

Currently I do a lot of self learning by watching a lot of videos on youtube.

Thanks for the guide. Much appreciated.

Regards,
Liang

[Detox]

Okay Liang thanks for telling me about your trip - so we will do our best.

I advise you not to listen to you tube or videos -- to do with self realization or dharma or other spiritual traditions - and focus on this process for now.

I look forward to hearing from you daily. .
My role is to walk beside you and guide you so you can see clearly. Be succinct with your answers as this is a process of looking rather than intellectualism

So Please could you introduce yourself a little, particularly:

* what brings you to Liberation Unleashed?
* what do you hope to get out of the journey?
* what would you expect it to be like it you are successful?

[liang]

Okay Liang thanks for telling me about your trip - so we will do our best.

I advise you not to listen to you tube or videos -- to do with self realization or dharma or other spiritual traditions - and focus on this process for now.

I look forward to hearing from you daily. .
My role is to walk beside you and guide you so you can see clearly. Be succinct with your answers as this is a process of looking rather than intellectualism

So Please could you introduce yourself a little, particularly:

* what brings you to Liberation Unleashed?
* what do you hope to get out of the journey?
* what would you expect it to be like it you are successful?

By chance I was watching a video and youtube and saw one session conducted by Elena Nezhinsky. Follow the link I came to the website.

I picked up "Power of Now" a few years back. I remember I can never finish the first chapter. By chance I purchased the audio book of Power of Now and listen to Eckhatt Tolle. As I was listening to one of the chapter I felt like something is dropped inside my head. I am not sure of what is it, however ever since that happen I start to understand what the book try to say. Ever since I have embark on this journey of discovery, or is it like going back to the source? I was quite surprise about the "shift of perception". The feeling is like instead of "looking from outside', now I am like looking from inside to outside, if you know what I means.

I used to have depression when I was young although I am not on any medicine. I have manage to find peace and calm for the past few years, however there is a feeling that the journey is not done yet. Again from some of the video I watched, they are saying something like at first you get a glimpse to the source, then a few years pass you may have a sudden enlightenment. I am quite sure I felt the shift, but not sure how to proceed from here.

The hope is I can grasp what life means, and why we are born into this world.

To be frank with you I am not sure what is the end state or what I hope to gain from this journey.

Now I just want to see what is that "enlightenment" or the "seeing" like when I reach that state. I will say this is my goal for now.

Thanks for the help.
Liang

[Detox]

Hi Liang, thank for your honesty and clarity. I ask you to put away any grasping for now. As there is nothing to grasp. Be open to looking and see what you may or may not find. Which is different perspective to what you write

The hope is I can grasp what life means, and why we are born into this world.

I read with interest

I felt like something is dropped inside my head.

Can you tell me in more detail. I have no idea what you mean? Did it have a shape? or a sensation? or a thought? what actually dropped into your head?

I hear you speak about the shift in perception. This is a journey of looking - and it involves looking from the outside in - and looking from the inside out. Which is a slight shift to what you wrote

The feeling is like instead of "looking from outside', now I am like looking from inside to outside,

The journey is most definitely not over. Is there an end or beginning to anything?

[liang]

Hi,

Can you tell me in more detail. I have no idea what you mean? Did it have a shape? or a sensation? or a thought? what actually dropped into your head?

I am always thinking non-stop. That is why when I was young I try to do meditation to stop this meditation stream. I have this habit of talking to myself quietly all the time. This become worse when I was in a depression state which is quite often. When the "drop" occurs, I suddenly felt like a "switch" inside me, suddenly I am "looking" at my thought, once you start "looking" at the thought, then the thought stream slowly slowly stop. Now I can control my thought, in fact when I go to sleep at night, I can switch off and just sleep. I used to think while I am lying on bed which make sleep difficult.

The journey is most definitely not over. Is there an end or beginning to anything?

I understand the concept, there should not be any beginning or end. The "source" is always as it is and all life in universe come from this "source". Sorry I am quoting from those people I watched on youtube, there is just no way for me to describe this.

This is the first time I am talking to somebody on this. Hard to talk to any friend or family since they are not seeing this yet. One thing I did notice is I am sleeping less now, now I can sleep for 4-5 hrs, used to be 6-7 hrs.

Thanks for your help.
Regards,
Liang

[Detox]

Hi Liang, thank you for your answers.

*What comes up when it is read that there is absolutely no "you' in any way, shape or form, there never has been a YOU, not is thee or will there ever be?

I read with interest your experience as a child. And well done for turning to meditation to help with your thoughts. I have a question for you - you write

once you start "looking" at the thought, then the thought stream slowly slowly stop

. this is true - thought begins to slow down and there are gaps - and sometimes emptiness rather than stopping

Now I can control my thought, in fact when I go to sleep at night, I can switch off and just sleep.

Can you really control your thoughts? and if yes how can you do this? I am intrigued?

[liang]

Hi,

Can you really control your thoughts? and if yes how can you do this? I am intrigued?

You are right, come to think of it I cannot really control my thought. What happens now is when a thought arise, I choose not to follow the thought. So I have this feeling that I can control but actually I just let the thought as "let it be". Most of the thoughts will just go away if we choose not to pay any attention to it.

I was wandering like what some master says about the observer and the one being observed. So who is the one that observe the thought, that I cannot see yet.

I am flying to Phnom Penh later, I am not sure whether I can see your post later. If there is any delay I apologize.

Thanks for the guidance.
Regards
Liang

[Detox]

Hi Liang I hope you have arrived in Phnom Penh safely.

Great that you can see that you can not control your thoughts. Knowing this can be liberating because many of us spend a life time trying to control our thoughts without success which can lead to addictions, and all other ailments, hence putting the vicious cycle in process.

Great to reflect on

who is the one that observe the thought

Don't worry for now that you can not see yet. It will become clear as you continue to look on this journey. So I asked you this question --- here it is again - please answer?


*What comes up when it is read that there is absolutely no "you' in any way, shape or form, there never has been a YOU, not is thee or will there ever be?

[liang]

Hi Detox,

*What comes up when it is read that there is absolutely no "you' in any way, shape or form, there never has been a YOU, not is thee or will there ever be?

From what I have read and heard that this "I" is just a thought. So I was thinking even the existence is just a perception.

However this is still a concept. One need to feel it. When first time I hear there is no "I" or no "you", I was puzzle and confuse. So. I did look back inside. What I saw is a silence, or stillness, or a void. However this timing is very short before the thoughts start to come in again. Eckhatt Tolle say there is a gap between two thoughts, and with practice the gap will get longer and longer. I heard that the brain can be very still with no thoughts. Modern life has too many distractions, each distraction will trigger a thought. So I cannot bring my mind to stillness yet.

So my answer when I heard that there is no you, my mind just stopped for a while before a thought come in again.

I am now in Siem Reap just visit the famous Angkor Wat yesterday. I will go down to Phnom Penh on 20 Sep. Will be back in Singapore. On 22 Sep.

Thanks for the guidance.
Sincerely
Liang

[Detox]

Hi Liang....are you saying you will not be on contact to the 22nd...not sure..please let me know.. I know you are away and Internet is intermittent so if you want to wait til the 22nd that is ok..but if you can get access sometimes it would be good to keep the flow of communication.
What I would like you to do is try and forget everything you have read and learned about the I or no or self or no self. And how you do that is to look rather than think about what you know. Just look and see what you find for yourself.


"What does the word "I" or "me" point to, here and now?"